I'm running for SoundExchange! Jul 8. 2010 | Comments (0)

It's with great excitement, and after deep consideration, that I'm announcing my desire to be elected as Executive Director of SoundExchange to replace John Simson when he steps down at the end of 2010.

As an artist, I can no longer stand by and watch SoundExchange continue to get away with covering up the truth.  As artists, it's our responsibility in the digital age to create our own transparent systems for the collection and distribution of funds that belong to us.  We can no longer rely on a system that has never had our best interest at heart.  We can no longer act as children waiting for a pittance of an allowance to be granted to us after all of the wolves running the industry have taken their larger shares.

SoundExchange was established by the Record Industry Association of America, the RIAA.  It is no secret that not only have the RIAA been screwing artists for years, but at the same time controlling the public by offering 10 song albums that people have to pay $15 to own.  On top of that they have been controlling radio through mob-like methods like payola.

In the digital age, technology is making it very difficult for companies like the RIAA to continue to lie and cover up their tracks.  Society is practically demanding the truth through practices such as analytics and data mining.  Those who know me know I support a free and open Internet and the forward movement of technology first and foremost.  Some find it surprising that an artist would feel this way.  But it's not so surprising when you stop to consider that we are human beings first.  We need the very best in technology for medical equipment and emergency situations.  We simply cannot afford to stand in the way of progress simply because we can't find a way to force people to pay $.99 for an MP3.  It's preposterous.

When a very good friend of mine in Washington DC suggested I run for the position of Executive Director of SoundExchange, my first reaction was that I wasn't the most qualified person for the job.  But, as I began to consider who would be the right fit for this position, it became clear to me that what SoundExchange needs more than anything is someone who is dedicated to the truth at all costs.  The digital age demands it of us and personally I will settle for no less.  I began to recognize that I'm exactly the type of person who needs to run SoundExchange because I will lead from my heart.

My commitment to you as I ask for your support in this election, is to tell the truth.  I promise to create a transparent organization that is dedicated to serving artists.  It is my intention to create a system that collects and distributes funds in as timely a manner as possible.  If we don't know who to distribute the funds to, then we should not collect them in the first place.  SoundExchange should not be sitting on funds with no incentive to disperse them.  It's unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

I'm excited about change, I'm excited about the future and I'm excited about the possibility of serving you by creating a fair and open system that gets artists paid. 

Thank you for your support!!

Samantha Murphy